Nitracrine (Ledakrin, C-283) is an acridine derivative with potential cytostatic and antitumor activities. Nitracrine induces the unwinding of supercoiled DNA and binds to the DNA through intercalation, forming drug-DNA adducts and DNA interstrand crosslinks. This inhibits RNA synthesis, protein production, cell growth, DNA replication and cell proliferation; altogether, this may promote apoptosis. Since cancer cells have increased metabolism and proliferate at an increased rate, nitracrine may induce tumor cell apoptosis. The drug was used in clinics in Poland for the treatment of ovarian, colon, lung and mammary carcinomas. Some undesirable effects observed in clinics: e.g. nausea, vomiting and toxicity and mutagenicity of the drug in S. typhimurium strongly limited the therapeutic use of nitracrine and promoted a search for more suitable analogues.